You are currently viewing the old forums. We have upgraded to a new NFL Forum. This old forum is being left as a read-only archive.
Please update your bookmarks to our new forum at forums.footballsfuture.com.

What happens if the results from a combine "baseline" test already show a build-up of tau in the brain? It's a sad reality, but they've found CTE in college and (I'm pretty sure) high school players before, post-mordem. So you may go in to determine a baseline level and find out that you're already past the point of playing safely in the NFL.

What happens at the combine when they do an MRI and they find that a knee is already bone on bone, this is really no different. If you can't clear medically you don't get to play in the NFL.

There's a difference between a joint injury and damage to the most important part of your body, the brain. Your knee doesn't house your memories, your personality, etc.

Moreover, a knee can be fixed, or you could just live a normal live, except for being able to play sports. A brain is extremely hard to fix, and much harder to live without._________________

What happens at the combine when they do an MRI and they find that a knee is already bone on bone, this is really no different. If you can't clear medically you don't get to play in the NFL.

That sounds simple. I agree there are similarities there. I think there is also a significant difference between telling a 20 year old, "You know that constant pain you're feeling in your knee? That's only going to get worse" and, "Although you've never had any symptoms, you shouldn't take a job that could earn you tens of millions of dollars."

We absolutely have to use technology to make sure 20 year olds have as much information as possible to make the best decision. But let's be real - how many kids are going to decline that opportunity? So do we (as NFL fans, or even as a society) just throw our hands in the air and sleep better at night knowing that the 20 year old who eventually shot himself and his family at age 40 signed a waiver stating he was aware of the risks of his growing brain trauma? Doesn't sound like a satisfactory answer to me.

I think the biggest gain here may come in the pursuit of a cure. If we couldn't even determine who among the living had CTE prior to this discovery, we're now able to begin testing methods to cure it and see if those are working._________________

That being said the NFL isn't going anywhere. Its a multibillion dollar industry, which greatly effects other multibillion dollar industries(food, beer, tv, retail, etc) it has too great of an impact on our community.

People die every day in mines and on oil rigs, we aren't going to ban those anytime soon. Eventually people will have to just sign something saying they fully know the risks and won't sue if anything happens. I guarantee you most players will not turn down millions of dollars. Just my opinion.

I agree that the NFL isn't going to be going out of business.

I think what this will affect is the youth pipeline they've invested heavily in. As long as they're honest about the risks, lawsuits like the one they're facing now from ex-players won't be nearly the headache they are now for the league.

The problem from the NFL's standpoint is that, while that's fine for current players, it will certainly affect football participation at the youth, middle, and high school levels.

For a similar case study, the history of boxing in the U.S. followed a similar arc. It was once the most popular sport, along with baseball, from a participation standpoint, along with being the biggest money sport. To keep it short, a number of factors contributed, but a primary factor of boxing's downfall was its elimination from schools, which commonly had boxing teams. It was a combination of the health risks and the increase liability costs to carry it that dramatically reduced the schools and gyms that offered it, reducing participation dramatically. This trend was already happening by the 1960's.

I believe the wheels are in motion for something similar to happen with football. The NFL will exist, but the NCAA and NFL will have a smaller potential talent pool to pick from. It will take a long time to play out and it won't happen overnight.

What happens at the combine when they do an MRI and they find that a knee is already bone on bone, this is really no different. If you can't clear medically you don't get to play in the NFL.

That sounds simple. I agree there are similarities there. I think there is also a significant difference between telling a 20 year old, "You know that constant pain you're feeling in your knee? That's only going to get worse" and, "Although you've never had any symptoms, you shouldn't take a job that could earn you tens of millions of dollars."

We absolutely have to use technology to make sure 20 year olds have as much information as possible to make the best decision. But let's be real - how many kids are going to decline that opportunity? So do we (as NFL fans, or even as a society) just throw our hands in the air and sleep better at night knowing that the 20 year old who eventually shot himself and his family at age 40 signed a waiver stating he was aware of the risks of his growing brain trauma? Doesn't sound like a satisfactory answer to me.

I think the biggest gain here may come in the pursuit of a cure. If we couldn't even determine who among the living had CTE prior to this discovery, we're now able to begin testing methods to cure it and see if those are working.

For me as a former player, and a parent, its real simple. Doctors have to make the decision for the players. Yeah it sux that a 20 yo will miss out on the opportunity to make millions of dollars. I really don't care, they will be thankful when they get to play w/ their kids and their grandkids. You guys are saying yourselfs this isn't joint issues, this is the brain, this can never be fixed. If you aren't comfortable clearing a guy medically to play b/c of a knee or back issue, then why should this be any different. If you can't clear medically you don't play, its that simple._________________2013 Bears Forum Mike Ditka Award Winner
2014 Adopt-A-Bear Alshon Jeffery

What happens if the results from a combine "baseline" test already show a build-up of tau in the brain? It's a sad reality, but they've found CTE in college and (I'm pretty sure) high school players before, post-mordem. So you may go in to determine a baseline level and find out that you're already past the point of playing safely in the NFL.

What happens at the combine when they do an MRI and they find that a knee is already bone on bone, this is really no different. If you can't clear medically you don't get to play in the NFL.

There's a difference between a joint injury and damage to the most important part of your body, the brain. Your knee doesn't house your memories, your personality, etc.

Moreover, a knee can be fixed, or you could just live a normal live, except for being able to play sports. A brain is extremely hard to fix, and much harder to live without.

I think you missed the point of I what I wrote. If you can't clear medically (joints, back, tissue, etc... or brain) you don't get to make millions playing a kids game._________________2013 Bears Forum Mike Ditka Award Winner
2014 Adopt-A-Bear Alshon Jeffery

That is really sad and scary .. Its the nature of the sport and some are always going to be down to risk there well being for the sport, the money, the fame, but i imagine if a test was available, a lot of guys would walk away from the game just like that._________________

What happens if the results from a combine "baseline" test already show a build-up of tau in the brain? It's a sad reality, but they've found CTE in college and (I'm pretty sure) high school players before, post-mordem. So you may go in to determine a baseline level and find out that you're already past the point of playing safely in the NFL.

What happens at the combine when they do an MRI and they find that a knee is already bone on bone, this is really no different. If you can't clear medically you don't get to play in the NFL.

There's a difference between a joint injury and damage to the most important part of your body, the brain. Your knee doesn't house your memories, your personality, etc.

Moreover, a knee can be fixed, or you could just live a normal live, except for being able to play sports. A brain is extremely hard to fix, and much harder to live without.

I think you missed the point of I what I wrote. If you can't clear medically (joints, back, tissue, etc... or brain) you don't get to make millions playing a kids game.

What happens at the combine when they do an MRI and they find that a knee is already bone on bone, this is really no different. If you can't clear medically you don't get to play in the NFL.

That sounds simple. I agree there are similarities there. I think there is also a significant difference between telling a 20 year old, "You know that constant pain you're feeling in your knee? That's only going to get worse" and, "Although you've never had any symptoms, you shouldn't take a job that could earn you tens of millions of dollars."

We absolutely have to use technology to make sure 20 year olds have as much information as possible to make the best decision. But let's be real - how many kids are going to decline that opportunity? So do we (as NFL fans, or even as a society) just throw our hands in the air and sleep better at night knowing that the 20 year old who eventually shot himself and his family at age 40 signed a waiver stating he was aware of the risks of his growing brain trauma? Doesn't sound like a satisfactory answer to me.

I think the biggest gain here may come in the pursuit of a cure. If we couldn't even determine who among the living had CTE prior to this discovery, we're now able to begin testing methods to cure it and see if those are working.

For me as a former player, and a parent, its real simple. Doctors have to make the decision for the players. Yeah it sux that a 20 yo will miss out on the opportunity to make millions of dollars. I really don't care, they will be thankful when they get to play w/ their kids and their grandkids. You guys are saying yourselfs this isn't joint issues, this is the brain, this can never be fixed. If you aren't comfortable clearing a guy medically to play b/c of a knee or back issue, then why should this be any different. If you can't clear medically you don't play, its that simple.

I agree with the theory but putting it into practice is much more complicated. I dont think this is like cancer where the test results are either positive or negative. Who decides how much tau protein is too much? What do you do if doctors can't even agree on a quantitative measure?

It's fantastic news - no doubt. But it opens up a whole lot of ethical and legal questions._________________